


Synergy

by Shadowsdance



Category: Assassin's Creed, Prototype (Video Game)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Drabbles, I have a problem, M/M, fights are both verbal and physical
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-19
Updated: 2015-04-16
Packaged: 2018-03-13 19:22:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3393347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shadowsdance/pseuds/Shadowsdance
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five times they fight and one time they don't.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Alex

**Author's Note:**

> basically a bunch of different pairings using the same 5+1 things prompt. I think I'll be doing that a lot more too. this one's mostly assass pairings I suppose, obviously. I've got all the pairings worked out, just not wrote
> 
> The explicit rating is for chapters 4 & 5

**One**

A fist sailed through the air and through a writhing mess of biomass. Desmond jerked back quickly, mouth falling open to make a noise of surprise (NOT a scream, totally not). No sound came out, though, because there was a _tentacle_ around his throat, stopping air flow.

" _Don't_ scream. You'll attract the attention of every creature in a half block." Alex made sure his glare was in the light so Desmond could see it. "You don't want that."

Desmond tried to swallow but the thing around his neck wouldn't let him. He clawed at it, trying desperately to breathe. His heart was pounding, his stomach rolling, his lungs spasming. Panic sprang on him suddenly and he regretted every second of living in New York because being held bodily to a crumbling building by a _thing_ with another _thing_ choking him wouldn't have happened if he'd stayed in Miami. But no, snow and Broadway shows called to him.

"I'm going to let you breathe now. _Do not_ scream or I'll kill you myself." Alex slowly retracted the tentacle, keeping an eye on Desmond's neck to see if it looked like he'd make too much noise. When he just took a deep breathe and stared, Alex gave him a smirk. "Good boy. Name's-"

"Alex. Yeah. You're on the news." Desmond rubbed at his neck and eyed the lack of space between them. "Can I get some room?"

"Depends. You gonna try to punch me again?"

"Of course not."

Alex raised an eyebrow but stepped back. There was a sound, around the corner and down the road, and he turned, staring that direction. The fist that hit the side of his head made him sigh and roll his eyes skyward. "So you're a liar."

"A liar with a fucking broken hand. Fuck, what're you made of?"

Alex's mouth turned up into that smirk again. "You don't wanna know."

**-{*}-  
Two**

"Are you suicidal?!" Desmond shouted at the top of his lungs, flailing his arms around wildly.

Alex huffed but didn't reply.

"No, seriously! Do you _want_ to die?" Desmond poked his head into Alex's line of sight. "Stop staring at the wall and fucking talk to me! What the fuck is your problem?"

Silence.

Desmond's jaw clenched and he blew air harshly out his nose as he resumed pacing the floor of the rundown apartment they were housed in at the moment. "Well, great. Just great. Fuck you too, you fucking asshole."

"You like to use that word a lot, don't you?"

"Shut up. Unless you're going to explain that little stunt with the giant dog-like dickbags out there and the Blackwatch patrol that never will be again, I don't want to hear a single word."

"They were going to hurt you! Kill you, even! And you're _mad_ I killed them first." Alex got up from the couch that smelled like death and bile and stared down the Assassin. "What the fuck is _your_ problem?"

"Oh no. Hell no. This is about you flinging yourself bodily into Fido like you didn't care if it ripped you into bites sized pieces and ate you for dinner."

"Fuck's sake, Desmond, I can take care of myself better than you can against those things!"

"Oh, don't pull that shit on me. Weak, human Desmond can't handle himself. Yes, we've beaten that horse beyond dead."

"Are you mad it's true? If _anyone_ got ripped to shreds and eaten, it would be you!" Biomass was sliding across his body as he spoke. "And even though you're a giant pain in my ass, I keep you alive. Because you're _important_ or something. But fuck, I might _just_ let you die if you're going to be an ass when I save your life."

Desmond stood in the middle of the room, jaw clenching and unclenching as he stared at Alex like he was stupid. "Fuck you," he spat, turning and leaving the room to walk into the room he'd claimed as his own. Alex don't follow.

**-{*}-  
Three**

Alex shot a strand of biomass directly by Desmond's head and took off the head of the military official holding a gun at the human. The blood splattered all over Desmond's face and jacket.

Desmond's face immediately dropped from a pacifying smile to a look of complete disgust. "Oh my God. Alex, why!"

"Would you rather be dead?" the virus asked as he brushed off his jacket from the spray that had hit him.

"I'd rather not have nasty inside bits all over my face, thanks." Desmond started to wipe it off but a tentacle flied out and almost gently caressed the side of his head before it yanked back into Alex's body. "Uh...what?"

"Wanted to see what he tasted like." Alex shrugged and waved a hand behind him. "There's more coming. Want me to let them treat you to the same hospitality your friend did or would you like to get the fuck out of this place?"

Desmond opened his mouth to reply but had the wind swept out of him when Alex just sighed and lifted him into his arms and started running up the closest building.

"You're such an ass!" Desmond yelled over the wind whistling by his ears.

"Are we having this fight again?" Alex muttered into his ear as he rearranged the human.

Desmond ignored the hot flash that ran down his spine when the too hot mouth brushed the shell of his ear and focused more on the fact that blood still coated his entire upper body, basically. "Fuck yes we are."

Alex sighed as loudly as he possibly could and rolled his eyes just because he knew it would irritate Desmond better than anything he could say.

As predicted, Desmond puffed up and got so red in the face it looked like he was about to have an aneurism. "God fucking damn it! Put me down! Put me down right now!"

Alex looked down at the ground hundreds of feet below. "I don't think you'd enjoy that as much as I do."

Desmond kicked Alex in the shoulder as hard as he could. "Jackass."

"I'm always impressed by your collection of ass related insults." Alex gets to the roof and drops Desmond on his ass. "It makes my day."

"You're being sarcastic. You're being a sarcastic asshole now."

"I stopped?"

Desmond glowered. "Take me home."

"Haven't heard that line in a while."

"Shut. Up."

**-{*}-  
Four**

"Do you intentionally dive into danger, you useless sack of meat?" Alex snarled as he brought up a shield and blocked the hail of bullets coming toward Desmond. "Honestly, you don't seem to understand the words 'get down' at all."

"When you snarl it so quietly I barely know you said anything at all, it's really not my fault." Desmond flinched when a piece of...something landed near him and kept twitching for a solid ten seconds before it stopped.

Alex slammed a hand into the ground and spikes of biomass shot up and impaled the people shooting at them. Other vines of it rippled all over him restlessly, showing his frustration. "I said it plenty loud; you were too busy shaking in revulsion at how close I was to you to notice."

"You thought that was revulsion?!" Desmond shouted over the screams of dying soldiers.

Alex growled and rounded on him. "What the hell else could it be?"

"Shit, you're a dumbass! It was attraction, I'm attracted to you, I'm distracted by you!" Desmond realized a moment later all the sounds of fighting had stopped and he'd shouted that tiny confession into dead silence.

Alex stared at him for a few moments then shrugged and retrieved the one remaining living soldier and consumed him in the middle of the street.

**-{*}-  
Five**

Desmond threw his glass at the wall just to see it shatter. "You should be back by now, you dick. Ten minutes, you said."

He paced across the length of the room again, grinding his knuckles into his palm. Alex was on a supply run, leaving Desmond alone in an abandoned building with only his thoughts as company. He's been gone for half an hour. Considering how fast the asshat ran, he should've been there and back before Desmond had time to really even notice he was gone.

There was a screech down on the streets below and Desmond's heart suddenly moved from his chest to his throat. He couldn't protect himself from one of those things. He didn't know how to get away from them, just that Alex fucking owned them when they stumbled up on them. And he was alone. With...ah, yeah, three of them on the street below the apartment window. Desmond stared down at them in absolute terror, hands gripping his elbows.

"Come on, Alex, come /on/!" he snarled quietly as he slowly backed away from the window.

As if summoned by name, the virus free fell past the window to smash into the one unfortunate thing that happened to be under him. It howled as it died and Alex howled back, obviously in his element. He spun and leaped out of the way as another one charged at him and laughed as he changed his arm into a huge ass fucking blade and sliced both of the remaining beasts into tiny bits of bloody confetti. He took a moment to look around then turned his face toward the window where Desmond looked down. The grin on his face was terrifyingly hot and Desmond hated himself for thinking it.

The virus was back in the room faster than the fight took and was backing Desmond into a wall just as quick. "You're alright?" he growled, eyes roving from Desmond's face to his chest to his legs to his arms.

"I'm fine. You got here just in time." Desmond ignored the tremor in his voice and hoped Alex would do the same.

"You were scared." A tendril of biomass reached out and smoothed a patch of Desmond's hair that was sticking up. "You shouldn't have been. I should have been here."

"Damn right you should've! What took you so long? Where the fuck did you go?" Desmond shoved at him but it was like pushing a brick wall.

"I was...patrolling. I wanted to make sure the area around was safe." Alex's tendril drifted from Desmond's hair to glide down Desmond's arm. "Obviously the threat was closer than I thought."

"Obviously." Desmond rolled his eyes and pushed out of the cage of Alex and wall to pace again. "Why are you still bothering with me? Why did you bother in the first place?"

Alex opened him mouth and shut it, looking almost constipated. He slowly said, "you're important. You weren't important to me then but you were important to someone. You're important to me now. I want you safe and close." As if proving his point, a vine of biomass curled around Desmond and brought him stumbling closer.

"Oh, well, that just excuses everything, doesn't it! Let me just stop thinking I'm a waste of time and space now!"

Alex was suddenly in his face and he was suddenly being held still by writhing lengths of biomass. " _Never_ say you are either of those things. Everything is connected. Everyone is important. You...you're more important. You're special."

Desmond's expression dropped into dead seriousness. "Are you coming onto me?"

"I...sort of?" Alex didn't look very comfortable answering and Desmond almost shook at the thought of possibility. "I don't want to talk about it. Just...believe you are worth something. Believe you are worth _everything_."

**-{*}-  
+1**

Desmond leaned over the rail of the building that he very most likely wasn't supposed to be on. Alex had brought him there and dropped him, telling him to wait before dropping over the edge of the building and disappearing.

That was ten minutes ago. Desmond had long gotten over having to wait on the ridiculous asshole. He stared down at the bit of traffic below and wondered what exactly Alex was up to.

Another three minutes and there was the distinct sound of biomass crunching the side of a building into dust. Desmond glanced over his shoulder to make sure and almost sighed in relief when a tentacle wrapped around his chest then slowly dipped down to his stomach.

"I wondered where you were. You like to make me wait, don't you?"

Alex was suddenly a too hot heat against his back, molded to him. "Anticipation makes everything so much better," Alex murmured into Desmond's ear, hands moving from Desmond's hips to under his hoodie and shirt to press against bare skin. The tentacle moved with them, sliding farther down until the tip was barely touching Desmond's jeans.

"Maybe. Doesn't change the fact that I missed you."

"I was gone ten minutes." His mouth brushed the back of Desmond's neck before his tongue trailed a scorching line behind his ear.

"You were gone like thirteen." He reached back and slid his hand into Alex's hair, turning to look at the virus. The hands and tentacle ended up on his back, the tentacle edging into Desmond's jeans but staying put there.

"Oh, thirteen minutes! I'll alert the media." Alex smirked at the look that drew from Desmond and leaned his forehead against Desmond's. "Fine. Sorry."

"An apology!" Desmond whispered, tilting his head up at a better angle. "I'll alert the media." He brought his lips to Alex's with a smile.


	2. Altair

**One**

A sword thrust here, a parry there, and Desmond's sword was planted in the ground with a blade at his throat. Altair looked almost disgusted at how easy it was. "Fight back."

Desmond rolled his wrist and glared. "I _am_."

"You are not very good." 

"No shit." Desmond paused and tried to think up a response sarcastic enough to work but general enough the Syrian assassin would get it. "No, really? You don't say."

Altair's expression darkened. "You will learn. I will teach you."

"Great, that's why I'm here!" Desmond rolled his wrist around again and yanked his sword from the ground. "Again?"

A swing there, a kick to the leg here, a well placed punch there, and Desmond was clutching his jaw and leg on the ground while Altair twirled two blades. 

"Fuck, could you go easy on me?" Desmond whined. 

Altair looked ready to kill. "I will not. No one you fight will 'go easy' so I _will not_." He threw Desmond's sword at his feet. "Again."

"You're such an ass," Desmond muttered as he hauled himself up and got ready for a day of pain and failure. 

**-{*}-  
Two**

Three weeks after arriving via Apple and Animus wibbly wobbly timey wimey-ing his ass to Masyaf Desmond realized the only person he could even somewhat hold a fight against was the newest recruit, a kid named Calim who reminded him a little too much of a Middle-Eastern Shaun. 

Altair was beyond done with him, leaving him to find his way through the city and the fortress. He remembered it like muscle memory, though, and got where he needed to be. 

Altair wasn't pleased about that either. 

Desmond often hung out around Altair just to see the man in his element while not being, well, inside him. He was...graceful. Smooth. Until Malik got into a bad mood and started hanging around in there too. 

"Why are you still here? You have done little to further the order and disturb the townsfolk." Malik's voice was cutting and sliced through Desmond's chill attitude better than anything anyone else could do. 

"You have no idea what I've done for the order," Desmond snapped back, sling-shotted into a bad mood. "And the people love me!"

Malik bared his teeth but didn't reply, just stalked back and forth in front of Altair's desk, drawing the Grandmaster up the wall to join Desmond. 

"Peace, brother," Altair said in a strained voice, nine fingers curled around a scroll. "There is much to do and time for it."

"Time, he says!" Malik snarked, tossing his hand in the air. "We are not young anymore, Altair. We are running out of time."

Desmond snorted. "Hardly."

Altair's eyes cut to Desmond with little interest. "Be quite or be gone."

"Suck a dick," Desmond muttered under his breath as he turned and leaned on the railing. 

Malik and Altair made plans far into the afternoon and Desmond had gone out, trained with two recruits, and come back then had to wait another ten minutes before they finally stopped. Their moods had gotten much worse by then. 

**-{*}-  
Three**

Altair was waiting for him in the ring. Desmond wanted to say he had no idea how he'd ended up fighting Altair again so soon but that was a lie. He remembered it very clearly. 

_"Come here. I need to speak with you."_

_"I think we can talk with me over here." Desmond's voice was slightly squeaky. He eyed the distance between them carefully, wondering if enough had Bleed for him to survive jumping over the railing._

_Altair didn't speak for a moment, just gave him a dark look and turned his gaze to a point on the ceiling above him. "Tell me of your training."_

_"It's...better than I expected?" Desmond said cautiously, head tilted slightly up and away, eyes cut sideways at the suspiciously suddenly calm Assassin._

_"Good. You're fighting me again tomorrow."_

_And there it was. "Are you fucking kidding me?" Desmond cried, backing into the rail and realizing too late there's nowhere to go but down behind him. "I'm not nearly good enough for that."_

_"You will be or you will leave." Altair's voice held no room for argument._

And so, he stood in the shade of the building, staring down at Altair taking practice swings in the ring while Malik most likely got him pissed off about something or another. There was a small group of novices Rauf was training but none of it was very serious. Everyone out there was there to see Desmond get his ass kicked. 

He took a deep breath then nodded to himself and started down the hill. Altair's eyes followed him the whole time as he twirled his sword in wide arcs. When he reached the ring Altair took a few steps back and waved him in. Desmond licked his lips then vaulted in and slid his short sword out and got into a fighting stance. Altair examined his pose then nodded slightly and got into his own stance. 

Malik said something in sharp, scathing Arabic that made Altair's mouth curl up into the almost manic looking bloodlust grin Desmond was always freaked out by. Altair's stance widened from a defensive one to something more offensive and suddenly Desmond was dancing to the side as Altair swung out at him in a smooth, quick glide. 

Desmond ducked away from Altair's blade and snapped his own out at the Grandmaster. He was deflected and got a fist to the jaw that made him almost get a nice gash across his side as he stumbled away. Instead, he got his bracer up and knocked it away. 

Malik snapped something out again that sounded almost bored and Altair's movements sped up to the point where Desmond was breathing harshly and almost dancing as he avoided getting something vital sliced into ribbons. 

After another excruciating few moments Altair dropped back and spun his sword again, still grinning. "Do you surrender?" he asked lightly. 

Desmond took as deep a breath he could and shook his head, panting. "I won't."

"Stubborn." Altair circled, looking utterly like a predator. "You will lose."

"Maybe." Desmond wished desperately for a bottle of water. His throat was almost raw from the dry air and harsh gasping. Desmond went into an offensive pose and launched himself to the side before ducking down and swinging his leg out to sweep toward him. Altair sidestepped and brought his heel down toward Desmond's knee. The young man yanked his leg back and scrambled away before hurrying back forward and swinging at his side. Altair raised an eyebrow and fended him off almost too easily. 

There was another voice shouting something in rough Arabic and suddenly Desmond was on his back with Altair's hidden blade at his throat. Altair didn't move for a long moment then got up and offered a hand to Desmond. 

Desmond took it and was hauled to his feet. "How did you do that?" He asked breathlessly. 

"Practice."

**-{*}-  
Four**

It took Desmond another month and some practice but he learned some Arabic and a lot of combat training. At one point, Malik snapped "novice" at him in Arabic and he snarled "hardly" back at him, making him glance at him with a tiny bit of surprise and a large a amount of irritation. Altair had just laughed then told Malik to come look at the map he had laid out. 

Desmond found himself spending more time with novices than anyone else, though, and quickly found he could take them all down when he just let his body move without thinking about it. Bleeding Effect, probably, but god it was good to see them laying on the ground, staring up at him in awe. 

Altair came down to watch him sometimes and those were the times when he would be done with his opponent in moments, waiting until they attacked before countering and taking them down. Altair would always nod and leave after that. For some reason, that irritated Desmond more than he'd liked. 

It probably had something to do with being able to Bleed better when around the Assassin. And Altair was always slightly irritated when people practically dismissed his skill. Desmond supposed it transferred. Desmond didn't like the thought of anything else accidentally rattling in his head. 

It took him a while but Altair eventually called him up to listen to a plan. There was a mission set out for a few novices with more than average skills. Altair wanted him to watch and learn how it all went down. He didn't use those words but it was close enough. 

Desmond stood to the side, arms crossed and eyes focused on the messenger birds as Altair's smooth voice informed them where they were going and Malik's acidic tone told them how to do what they were doing. It took Altair all of two minutes to notice Desmond wasn't paying attention and he gave him a death glare the rest of the briefing. 

When the novices left, Altair waved Malik away then rounded on Desmond with aggravation clear on his face. "Do you think so little of our Creed to ignore vital parts of it?" he demanded in a chilly tone. 

Desmond met his eyes without flinching away. "I want to go home."

Altair almost seemed to grow a foot. " _This_ is your home now, you ignorant child. When you adhere to the Creed, you leave your old life behind. There is no other place you call home." His hands, previous clutching scrolls, grabbed Desmond by the shoulders and glared at him. "Do not insult us so."

Desmond clenched his jaw. "The _only_ reason I'm here is because the stupid Apple decided this was where I was supposed to go. This isn't where I chose to be. This isn't where I _want_ to be. I want to go home. I have important things expected of me there and I should be there." Desmond was close to shouting. 

"Ah, but should you?" Altair snapped, hands tightening. "If you were meant to be there, you _would be_ but you are here and you are eating our food and using our rooms and swinging our blades so you will _respect our Creed._ Are we clear?"

There was a tense silence before Desmond slumped, defeated in more ways than one. "Fine. I'm sorry." His voice was reedy and rattled, making it obvious he was close to tears. 

Altair abruptly released him and took a step back, eying him wearily. "When you are needed, you will be returned. Of this I am sure."

"And if I'm never needed?" Desmond muttered. 

"Then you will stay. You will train. You will become an Assassin in more than name." Altair brushed a hand over Desmond's covered tattoo. "In more than markings."

Desmond shrugged and brushed away the residual heat left from Altair's hands on him as he paced away. "Fine." And the discussion was dropped. 

**-{*}-  
Five**

Desmond was hot. There was sand in places it shouldn't be and his entire body ached. Something was sticking him in the heel that he couldn't find and his blades were so hot to the touch that his back and hip felt like they were on fire. 

His horse was a fresh one he got at a way station between Jerusalem and Masyaf so it, at least, was in a fair mood while he silently fumed. 

When he finally came into Masyaf his first stop was the inn Assassins frequented and got discounts at for a cup of cold drink and something warm to eat. Then he got back onto his feet and dragged himself up the mountain to tell Altair he was back and he was taking a long bath followed by a longer nap. 

When he got there, however, the man was talking down to a novice that had screwed up majorly and had to stand and wait while Altair took out frustrations on the boy who looked terrified. 

"What are our rules?" Altair was growling. 

"I-" 

" _What_ are our _rules_?"

"Stay your blade from the flesh of the innocent-"

"Ah! And here is a rule you break! I am not amused by your careless killing and I am less impressed by your claims it was necessary. You will be placed in solidarity for the next week to understand your mistake and you will be tested on your understanding when you are released again."

The novice looked ready to sink into the ground and disappear. "As you say. Safety and peace," he whispered. 

Desmond snorted as the novice was lead away. "You talk to him like you never did that and worse."

Altair's gaze was rock hard when he turned it on Desmond. "I will not listen to your insolence today. What of your task?"

"Done." Desmond passed a scroll and a ring to Altair without touching him, knowing that would just set Altair into a rage when he was already at the stage he was. 

"Your target?"

"Dead. Did the Dai not tell you that already?" Desmond followed Altair inside at a careful distance. 

"I have not spent much time upstairs today, if you did not notice. Nivar was but one of my many irritations today. It is good that you completed what I asked of you. You have improved my day slightly."

"Oh, only slightly? Damn, let me try again, I'll get it next time." Desmond was tired. He was sore. He was angry. He was gritty. And he didn't want to discus the trials of being the leader of the Assassins. It wasn't his idea of a good time at that point in time. His tone suggested that and Altair rounded on him suddenly. 

"Are you bored with this?" He gave Desmond a searching look that was edged with violence. "I could find you more work, harder tasks, more difficult targets."

Desmond's mouth turned down as he stared at Altair. "Stop being an asshole for a second because you had to be responsible for a few hours. I just want to take a bath and go to sleep. Let me do that, at least."

Altair curled like he was about to pounce. "Leave now before I lose my temper." 

Desmond rolled his eyes. It was the wrong thing to do. He suddenly found himself against a chilled wall in the shadows of a bookshelf, an arm across his throat and a snarl in his face. His legs ached and his blood burned in his veins though he no longer knew it it was because of anger or something else. 

"You are testing me, boy. Do you know nothing of respect?" Altair leaned his weight into the arm, cutting off most of Desmond's air flow. "I will teach you if it is the last thing I do, child."

"You call me child and boy like I'm so younger than you. You're not even ten years older than me." He tried to make his voice more than a rough rasp and failed. He shoved uselessly at Altair's body. 

"Your physical age is not what I speak of." Altair's breath was hot and fanned across Desmond's face. 

The shiver that raced down Desmond's spine was totally because of the contrast between the cold wall and Altair's heat. Not because he was getting off on Altair threatening and demeaning him. Definitely not. 

Altair's eyes narrowed at the movement though, like an eagle zeroing in on its prey. "You are afraid."

Desmond tried to stop his mouth. He really did. But it went on its own and started spouting shit Desmond didn't want to say. "No, I'm kind of turned on and I'm really disturbed by it and I just want my freaking _bath_ so if you could just _please_ let me go, that'd be great."

There was a brief pause then Altair made a noise in the back of his throat and shoved away from the wall. "Go."

"Safety and peace," Desmond muttered as he slid away. He thought he heard Altair laugh as he left. 

**-{*}-  
+1**

The sun was rising over Masyaf, casting the inside of Altair's rooms into a golden tint. Desmond rolled over and stuffed his face into a pillow, dragging the light blanket he was under with him. "Make it go away," he muttered. 

Altair rolled with him and pressed against his back, leaving a dry kiss on his shoulder. "The sun has never listened to me." His face slid into the pillow next to Desmond's. 

There was a few quiet moments where they just laid together before Desmond rolled onto his side and stared down at Altair. "They'll be looking for you soon."

"I know." The older pressed into Desmond's chest, legs tangled together. "Perhaps we could barricade the door." His hands started roaming across Desmond's skin in a very determined sort of way. 

"You're so lazy in the mornings. Did it ever get you in trouble?"

Altair pressed an open-mouth kiss to Desmond's neck. "Once." His tongue trailed up to Desmond's ear. "Twice." He closed his teeth on the lobe and pulled slightly. "Three times."

"I'm thinking more, but you say what makes you feel better." Desmond rolled onto his back and pulled Altair with him. "How long do you think we have?"

"Moments," Altair murmured before he kissed Desmond lightly. "They will be knocking soon to wake me." Another light press. "We best make use of our time."

"Oh my god stop talking."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thinking I'm gonna drop one of the pairings..so that six chapter thing's kind of iffy
> 
> I've got Shaun's done and it'll be up in a few days when I get the time to edit it


	3. Shaun

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mutters obscenities at various inanimate objects in a violent loud way

**One**

"You left the coffee pot on again," was the first thing Desmond heard when he woke up from the Animus. 

He gave the speaker a blank look. "Most people like their coffee hot, Shaun."

"There's a difference between hot and sludge, Miles. I suggest learning it."

Desmond made a face at his back as he stretched out. "Not my fault someone doesn't check the coffee pot after I'm put in."

"Desmond!" Lucy jumped in quickly before Shaun could open his mouth. "Come out into the storage area and help me with something?"

"Oh, but what about the coffee, Lucy? What will Shaun do if he doesn't get to bitch at me his full hour?"

Her face hardened and she sat back down, staring at the computer screen. "Fine, Desmond." 

He gave her a humorless grin then rounded back on Shaun and got in his space, poking at the papers on the wall. "What's this?"

"A map, Desmond. I hope your education isn't _that_ lacking." 

"What about this?"

"Obviously a wanted poster."

"They still make those?"

" _Obviously._ " Shaun's tone suggested violence. "How about being productive instead of standing around asking stupid questions."

"I am _insulted_ you think my questions are stupid! Insulted and hurt!"

"They are pretty stupid." Rebecca's voice was flat and distant as she poked at the Animus. 

"Agh, Becca, no! Don't agree with him!"

"Don't ask stupid questions."

**-{*}-  
Two**

"What am I watching?"

"A Brit beating the shit outta an American."

"Oh. Is that popcorn?"

Shaun landed two quick hits to Desmond's side, making him gasp and cough and jump out of reach. Shaun didn't let up, just stepped with him and landed a solid blow on Desmond's stomach that made him feel like he was gonna puke. 

"Fight back," Shaun hissed before yanking Desmond forward by his shirt and turning, using momentum to throw him across the mats. "Fight back!"

Desmond rolled onto his feet and sent a fist into Shaun's side then one into the center of his chest, a quick one-two that made Shaun stumble back gasping with one hand on his chest and the other out for balance. "Fight back," he snarked, pacing closer and ready to just take him down and keep him there. 

Shaun grit his teeth then lashed out, hooking a leg around Desmond's to set him off balance then grabbing his arm to pull him around and grab the other, turning them both until Desmond was on his knees, his arms pulled straight back, Shaun's knee in his back while Shaun leaned back, one good pull away from dislocating Desmond's arms. 

Desmond took a breath then wrapped his hands around Shaun's wrists and yanked forward, flipping Shaun over him and onto his back. He slid around quickly and tried to sit on him. Shaun rolled away and got to his knees before Desmond tackled him back down, sending them rolling off the mats and onto the warehouse floor. 

Shaun elbowed Desmond in the jaw then in the throat then in the ribs. His leg ended up tangled in Desmond's with his arm behind his back as Desmond panted in his ear. "Bloody cheater."

"No rules in fighting, Shaun." Desmond got up and hauled him to his feet. "Well, I guess 'don't kill them' is a rule. Sometimes."

"Sometimes."

**-{*}-  
Three**

"Okay, Desmond?"

"I'm fine. I think I'm fine enough to go another couple hours, actually."

"I don't think so. You're going to be in your own timeline for a little while."

Desmond shot a frown at Shaun. "You tell me all the time I'm wasting time or not doing anything. When I try to do something you tell me not to. Pick one."

Lucy cleared her throat. "I think-"

"You don't do anything, not really. You sit in that chair and twitch. Very stressing, I understand."

"Guys-"

"Fuck you, Shaun! I didn't ask for this!"

" _Please-_ "

"You think I did? You think any of us did? I was too curious, Rebecca too smart, Lucy too charming. You...you were in the wrong place at the wrong time in the wrong body. Cry me a river."

"GUYS!"

Desmond paused with his mouth open and stared at Lucy. Shaun just sneered and turned back around. 

"Go get something to eat, Desmond. Run a bit. Shaun...we are all just trying to do the best we can with what we've got. This is better than it could've been. Remember that."

Desmond rolled his eyes and left to Shaun muttering obscenities under his breath. 

**-{*}-  
Four**

"What bird would Shaun be?" Desmond leapt onto a beam and stared down at the ground below before swinging down onto another beam and jumping onto a rooftop. 

"Where did that come from?" Lucy asked absently. 

"Altair was an eagle, obviously. I think Malik was pretty owl-like. Ezio's hawkish with some things, blind as a bat with others. I think I'm more...." Desmond trailed off, going through his lacking knowledge of birds. 

"A vulture. You're a vulture." Shaun's voice was flat. 

"I'm thinking more crow," Rebecca chimed. 

"Really? I was thinking like sparrow or something."

"You are quick," Lucy mused. 

"Anyway, back to Shaun. How about one of those one birds that puffs up when it feels threatened? Or a chicken?"

"I am _not_ a chicken!" Shaun squawked. 

"Proving my point," Desmond crowed. "Shaun's totally a chicken!"

"I think I'd be a robin." Lucy sounded only partially interested. 

"I'm not a chicken, you featherbrained bastard! I'm more graceful, dignified. I don't lay eggs."

"So...a rooster? Maybe a swan?"

"Desmond Miles, you are a dead man."

"I think I'd be a penguin." Rebecca's words derailed Desmond's reply. 

"A penguin? Becca, no, you're obviously a humming bird."

Shaun made a loud huffing sound and refused to speak the rest of the conversation. 

**-{*}-  
Five**

The van was parked in the back of a rest area. William and Rebecca had left to use the bathroom, leaving Desmond and Shaun alone in it. 

"You know what to do again?" Shaun asked nervously, glancing around. 

"Yes, Shaun, god!" Desmond snapped before taking a deep breath and shaking his head. "Go up the building, get to the highest possible point, jump, hit the parachute, land on the other roof, get the power source, get out, go back to the glowing cave of destiny. Got it. Just...stop asking."

"When do you hit the parachute?"

"When Becca tells me, now shut up!"

"Don't tell me to shut up when I'm worrying about you, damn it! This is more dangerous than desynchronization. You could bloody well die tonight, Desmond, and that terrifies me."

"It shouldn't. I'm not dying tonight."

"You don't _know_ that! It's not fact, it's your own incredibly inflated ego supplying useless platitudes. So how about you shut your mouth and let me worry."

"Why are you so worried?" Desmond sighed after a few seconds. "We're not exactly best friends, not for lack of my trying."

"Your 'trying' was you poking at my things and being a general annoyance." Shaun took a moment then rolled his shoulders and turned to face Desmond. "As strange as this is, I do care for you, Desmond. You have...grown on me. Like a tumor."

Desmond snorted and glanced out the windshield. "Yeah, I guess I could say the same. You're still a prickly British asshole who probably hasn't gotten laid in years."

"And you're still an annoying ignorant child who doesn't seem to understand what the words 'death wish' mean. I suppose it evens out enough."

"Best friends?"

Shaun titled his nose up and slid his glasses up with one finger. "Hardly," he sniffed. 

Desmond laughed and grinned as Shaun gave him the tiniest smile and turned back around. 

**-{*}-  
+1**

The cave was lit well enough for Desmond to see handholds that were almost invisible in the shiny obsidian rocks. He got higher up in the main chamber than he'd ever been and just sat there, staring around at the large hollow and the people bellow him. 

Shaun was the first to get even close to him, still a few feet down. He was breathing heavier and almost hidden in the shadow of a stalagmite. "Come down from there before you hurt yourself."

Desmond grinned down at him then swung down into the ledge and picked his way down quickly and efficiently. When he reached the bottom, he took Shaun's wrist and tugged him along into the ruins. "There's something back here, I think you'll like it. Very First Civ, totally you."

Shaun gently tugged him to a stop and shook his head. "We don't have much time. Bill's pushing the envelope."

Desmond's smile fell slightly before it brightened back up. "Alright. Next time." He still held Shaun's wrist in his hand, his thumb absently brushing back and forth across his skin. 

Shaun turned his hand, his palm pressing against Desmond's, and pushed his glasses up his nose with his other hand. "We'd best be getting back."

"Yeah," Desmond muttered, slowly walking forward and herding Shaun back. 

"They're probably wondering about us."

"Absolutely." Desmond had him against a pillar. 

"Bill's probably ripping into Becca."

"Mmm..." Desmond leaned the rest of the way and kissed Shaun gently, just barely a brush of lips against lips. When he wasn't shoved away and threatened violently, he put a bit more pressure into it, kissing him properly. 

Shaun sighed into it and practically melted, one hand in Desmond's hair and the other around his neck. 

Desmond pulled back just a moment to take Shaun's glasses off then dove back in, kissing him like it was the most important thing in his life he had to do, slowly, lazily. 

"Desmond! Shaun!"

Desmond pulled back and took a deep breath. "Yeah, we're on our way." He closed his eyes and pressed his forehead against Shaun's. "Shaun?"

"If you're going to apologize I might actually hurt you."

"Oh no. I'm not sorry even a little bit. I just wanted to say I love you."

Shaun hummed in a way that was almost sarcastic. "Once in a dark room is enough for you, is it?"

Desmond looked up and placed Shaun's glasses on the tip of his nose. "Yeah."

Shaun's expression softened just barely. "It's a good thing for you it's enough for me too, you stupid boy."

Desmond grinned and kissed him again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm rly mad and there may be mistakes
> 
> next chapter's in the works


	4. Altair and Ezio

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you'll notice, the chapter number's gone down and one of the pairing has been taken out. Also I'm bumping up to Explicit. I still don't know how I feel about this. Feel free to cut my fingers off after reading this. The sex is in the +1 if you don't feel like slogging through it.
> 
> The next, and last, chapter is done and waiting for editing.

**One**

"So, honestly, are you and Leo...?" Desmond asked six days into his ancestors living in his time, giving Ezio a searching look.

The Italian stared at him for about five seconds then sighed and rubbed his eyes then pinched the bridge of his nose. "We have never...there is an attraction, there is no denying. But I have never acted on it."

"That's kind of stupid. Leo obviously wants to be more with you than friends." Desmond swung drown to a lower perch and glanced around the sleeping town of Monteriggioni. "You should have gone for it." He paused then grinned slightly and looked up. "You should go for it when you get back."

Ezio stared at him like he was idiot. "It's punishable by death."

"...and killing people isn't?"

The Italian leaped down and glared at Desmond directly in the eye. "It is punishable for _him_. I am already a wanted man, by many accounts. He is mostly innocent." Ezio got closer, glare turning into a glower. "And if I have anything to say about it, he will _stay_ that way."

Desmond frowned, slightly intimidated but determined. "Love should always be expressed. No one should have to hide it."

"In my times, there is no acceptance. There is no tolerance. It _will not_ happen."

Desmond blew out a sharp sigh and almost jumped out of his skin when Altair whistled sharply from the top of a tower and jumped down to snatch a beam and swing himself over to them. "Did you and Malik ever...?"

Altair's gaze was dagger sharp when he turned it on Desmond. "There is no proof of such a union, nor will there be."

"That's...so...yes...?" Desmond floundered.

Altair gave him a smile that was more bared teeth. "The sun will be rising soon." He waved a hand at the lightening sky before he hauled himself onto a roof and sprinted away.

**-{*}-  
Two**

Altair and Ezio sparring was like poetry in motion. They flowed around each other in a way that was more dancing than fighting, Ezio using more liquid movement and Altair using quick precision.

Altair preferred using his short sword and hidden blade while Ezio used his double hidden blades. It was an even balance, since both of them had almost equal amounts of ease with their weapons.

If they were scheduled to fight, sometimes Lucy or Rebecca would make their way up to the back entrance and watch a moment before going back to work. Desmond always watched, as he'd usually already been smashed and bruised and beaten by one or both of them before their little spars.

As they fought, though, it'd go from simple sparring to dirty fighting within minutes. Soon, lips would be split and punches would be hitting vulnerable spots and legs would be tripped up.

At one point, Ezio had spat blood out and Altair had taken the opportunity to punch him again, hook a leg around one of his, and take him down to the ground. The fight had ended soon after with Ezio cursing Altair in quiet Italian while Altair just looked pleased as he cleaned the blood off his face and knuckles.

Desmond thought they both looked good covered in blood. Aesthetically speaking, of course.

**-{*}-  
Three**

"Do you often get excited during your trips through our lives?" Altair asked abruptly one night as Ezio stood on the top of a tower and pouted about the lights of cities in the distance.

"Excited?" Desmond asked, puzzled. At Altair's pointed look, he flushed and coughed. "Ah. Excited. Uh...I realized a long time ago that I have this thing for adrenalin and being shoved it walls?" The last part edge up more into a question than a statement.

Altair examined him and leaned in closely, breathing the same air. "I see."

Desmond very suddenly wanted to put at least twenty feet between them.

"What would you do, then, if I happened to shove you up against that wall there?" Altair asked quietly, eyes tracking the bob of Desmond's throat as he gulped.

"Uh...wait. Wait. No. You're trying to screw with me! No, fuck that! You asshole!" Desmond shoved him away and turned, prepared to jump off the roof.

A strong hand clutched his wrist and yanked him back. "If I weren't?"

"Then I'd probably still be just as mad as I am now! Because you're still an ass." Desmond yanked his hand away. "Go play your games with Ezio. You know, it's really just so _you_ to take advantage of someone's attraction. Honestly, I was expecting Ezio first but god, I'm not surprised-"

Altair suddenly had him against the wall with a snarl on his face. "Shut your mouth now."

Desmond snarled back, "fuck you."

Ezio was there a second later, shoving them both apart, and Desmond left before either said anything, vaguely horrified he was turned on. Fucking hot ancient assassin assholes. How dare they.

**-{*}-  
Four**

The city was dark and silent as Ezio stood alone and gracefully moved with his sword flashing in the street lights. He ducked and spun then jabbed his sword straight out and spun again, obviously deep in concentration.

So it made perfect sense the tiles under Desmond's feet slipped as he shifted his weight and he slipped with them. He was falling before he knew what was happening and found himself hitting hard into two solid arms and an equally solid chest. He blinked owlishly at the smirking face that was just over his. "You caught me."

Ezio's smirk grew. "Indeed I did." He made no move to put Desmond down. If anything, he shifted him to hold him better and tightened his grip.

"You can put me down now." Desmond paused. "I thought you were completely focused on your...thing, there."

"An Assassin should be aware of his surroundings while also able to focus on one thing."

Altair was suddenly behind him with a hidden blade at his throat, grinning down at Desmond. "Indeed he should."

Ezio rolled his eyes skyward. "Forgive me." He dropped Desmond on his ass and elbowed Altair in the side in one smooth movement.

Within moments they were deep into fighting, steel clashing and ringing. Desmond was slightly miffed about the whole thing, frowning and sitting to the side, well out of the way. He still had to shuffle away sometimes when one or the other threw the other toward him.

He whimsically fantasized they were fighting over him, smiling to himself, and suddenly found himself being crushed under Ezio's considerable bulk. "Oh good lord holy shit _off_!" he gasped, shoving desperately, uselessly.

Ezio huffed and rolled onto his hands, hovering over Desmond just barely. He eyed the smaller with a slightly quizzical expression then shrugged and pushed away to swing a blade toward Altair's face.

Desmond realized too late he was hard and his ancestor had felt it. He shoved up and stalked away, face flaming.

**-{*}-  
Five**

"Is there a rule against banging your ancestors?" Desmond mused as said ancestors did their nightly runs around the city.

Rebecca looked up at him with a raised eyebrow. "Marty Mcfly did it."

"Good point. Huh." Desmond tossed a little cube paperweight Lucy had on her desk into the air and caught it. "I doubt I'd be fathering myself, though. Too many centuries. Plus, guys."

"True. Look, if they're interested and you're interested...." Rebecca paused and shrugged. "Go for it."

Desmond sighed and rolled onto his side. "I don't think they're interested in me. Probably more each other."

Rebecca snorted. "Please. Those two plot about you when you're not around, you _know_ it."

"You're delusional. There's no way. They're hot and I'm...average." Cube up, cube down. "Besides, I bet they're banging in a a dark alley right now."

"Waiting for you, probably." Becca punched something into her computer that made the Animus beep something in an extremely high pitch. "Ahhh, that makes sense." She dove into it, pushing aside exposed wire to tinker farther in the machine. "Just do it. Take a chance, kiss one of them or something."

Desmond paled. "And risk getting stabbed? No thanks." Cube up, cube down. "Seriously, though, there's no way."

"Fine, then, there's no way, Patricia Pessimist. Now shut up and let me work."

"Hey! You know that machine so well you could do repairs in your sleep. Don't act like you can't."

"I can. But I'm tired of hearing you sit there and moan and groan about it. So hush."

Cube up, cube down. Cube up, cube down. "Okay, but-"

"Desmond. Go for it or stop talking about it."

Cube up. "Fine." Cube down.

The room was silent for a whole two more minutes before Desmond said, "if you had to pick...?"

"You don't."

The cube shattered on the floor at the smooth voice in his ear. A hand curled around his face and turned it so the speaker could kiss him soundly.

Desmond's first reaction was to swing. His fist hit the side of Altair's face and he jerked away quickly. Altair snatched his wrist and jerked him back, grabbing his other wrist before he could hit again.

"What did I miss?" Ezio asked as he paused at the top of the stairs, a hesitant smile gracing his lips.

Desmond was about three inches from Altair, both his hands captured, with Altair smiling slightly while his eyes stayed firmly locked on Desmond's mouth. "Uh...he kissed me?"

Ezio vaulted down to the floor and crossed to them in three quick steps. "Did he now?"

"He was talking about us with her. Romantically. I couldn't wait." Altair flicked a glance at Ezio. "I apologize if this ruins your slow seduction."

Desmond sputtered while Rebecca cackled, her voice muffled by layers of electronics. "Called it!" she called out.

"Seduction works best if the object of it doesn't know it's happening," Ezio scolded, frowning. Then he gave Desmond a long look. "You would look so nice bound."

Desmond flushed and yanked his arms out of Altair's grip. "Fuck you guys."

"That would be the plan," Ezio muttered before grinning charmingly.

They were closing in on him when Lucy and Shaun walked back in and Desmond sprinted over, using them as human shields as he made his escape up the stairs.

**-{*}-  
+1**

Desmond was (totally not) hiding. The tiny garden area he'd slipped into ten minutes ago was not to conceal him from his (almost weirdly) infatuated ancestors, oh no. It was to...admire the night? No, even he knew that was weak.

"Desmond?" Ezio's voice called almost too far and too quiet to be heard.

It took a considerable amount of willpower to not move or make a noise. Desmond turned only his head and stared up at the rooftops, almost dreading looking. In the distance, he could make out white robes. He grit his teeth and took a slow breath. Then almost jumped out of his skin when Altair was beside him a moment later. "Fucking-!"

Altair raised an eyebrow as Desmond clutched his chest. "You're gold in Eagle Vision. I found you a while ago and have been watching you since. You must learn to hide better than that." Altair's mouth twisted into a smile as he leaned down. "You remember what we agreed on, don't you?"

Licking dry lips and swallowing with a dry mouth and throat, Desmond nodded. At Altair's inquisitive stare, he said, haltingly, "if either of you found me, we would have sex where you found me. If I hid for half an hour and had neither of you find me, I could choose what happened."

Altair hummed and slid closer, bent with one hand resting on the wall above Desmond's head and his face close. "And which happened?"

"You found me."

"Indeed I did."

Ezio was closer, tiles clacking together as he walked on rooftops, obviously knowing exactly where they were by that point.

Desmond had a brief glimpse of red and white robes before Altair leaned the rest of the way in and kissed him. He groaned quietly and gripped the back of his neck, tugging him closer until Altair was settled in his lap, tongue curled around his teeth. There was a quiet sharp inhalation then a slow exhale as a different pair of hands slid slowly up Desmond's sides. They left a moment later and Altair shuddered against Desmond, telling him where they'd gone. The kissing ended abruptly and a new set of lips dominated Desmond's, sliding slickly and confidently enough to make Desmond practically jello, gripping hard onto solid muscle to keep himself steady.

A sharp gasp followed by a slow, quiet moan were whispered against Desmond's lips, the owner of those noises wrenching away to arch as Altair moved his hand quickly and skillfully under Ezio's robes. Desmond jerked, his cock rubbing against Altair's ass through layers of cloth. Altair hissed at that and ground down.

"God, can someone just fuck me?" Desmond breathed, eyes huge as he watched them kiss languidly. He wriggled desperately, fingers fishing out a bottle of lube from his pocket.

There was a silent, still second where they both stared at him with their lips parted and cheeks flushed before, as one, they surged forward, stripping any- and everything off Desmond. When that task was done, they turned on each other, soon leaving all of them naked and hard, rolling together on the ground in a mass of want and skin and sweat.

Someone's fingers slid up Desmond's thigh and slowly slid into him, calloused and thin, probably Altair's, and Desmond groaned, eyes falling shut as they stretched and rubbed and prodded. They paused a moment before curling, brushing against Desmond's prostate and making him gasp, eyes snapping open to stare at the two men above him, watching them kiss and Altair arch as Ezio fingered him open as well.

"Fuck... _fuck_ me," Desmond gasped, fingers scrambling desperately over Altair's shoulders and back, tugging uselessly with too-weak hands. He curled his hand around Altair's chin and brought his mouth back down to kiss him sloppily, his lips already swollen and practically numb.

Altair smiled into the kiss and twisted his fingers, making Desmond's body arch and curl. "As you wish," he murmured, almost breathless as he shook on Ezio's fingers. His hands slid to Desmond's hips to hold him still and slowly, excruciatingly slowly, slid into Desmond, his jaw tight and his eyes hard. He took a shuddering breath then pulled out and slammed back in, punching all the air out of Desmond's lungs. He stuttered to a stop after another thrust then groaned and buried his face in Desmond's shoulder, his grip on his hips bruising. There was a moment's pause before Ezio moved, drawing Altair back with him, then slammed forward, shoving Altair into Desmond. Three sharp gasps echoed in the night and Desmond _writhed_ , eyes squeezing shut and mouth hanging open.

"Beautiful," Ezio whispered reverently before he drew back out and thrusted again, making all words stop flowing unless it was "harder" or "faster" or "more."

It was almost torturous, too good and too much and too soon. Desmond knew, _knew_ sex would happen that night, knew it deep in his soul. He'd known the moment he'd woken up to Ezio and Altair making out and frotting beside him, really.

All thought stopped when the angle changed, Ezio drawing Altair's hips up a bit and Altair moving Desmond to match until Desmond's shoulders and head were the only things touching the ground. He didn't care though because now Altair was driving into his prostate with each movement and sparks of light were shooting across his vision, each thrust making him whine and wiggle and grab desperately at anything solid. His fingers ended up digging deep into the soft dirt under him as his ankles rested on Ezio's shoulders.

He was close, so close, and no one had even touched his dick since the whole modified human centipede thing started. As if hearing his thoughts, Ezio's hand snaked forward and starting jerking him in time with his hips snapping into Altair's.

He gasped out God's name in some language or another and cried, "fucking fuck fuck fuuuu-!" His voice stopped abruptly as his breath caught in his lungs, his entire body tensing as he came, tiny little spasms making him shake. Altair cursed something fierce and bit down on Desmond's thigh, coming right behind him. Ezio took another four thrusts then he swore and dug his fingers deep into Desmond's side and Altair's shoulder as he shook and came apart.

They collapsed into a pile, gasping for breath and Desmond bleeding from his thigh. Ezio rolled over, dragging Desmond in between he and Altair, both of them curled around him like his own personal blanket of flesh. Ezio kissed Desmond's shoulder and Altair kissed the back of his neck.

They were quiet for a long time then Desmond's earpiece, which had somehow remained securely in Desmond's ear, crackled and Lucy's slightly acidic voice said, "sun up in fifteen."

There was a brief pause then Rebecca said, "next time, make sure your earpiece stays off."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry? Sorry.


	5. Connor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hadn't really thought much about this pairing until I started writing this so I went and looked some stuff up and hello new impossible OTP
> 
> There's more porn in the +1 because why the hell not.

**One**

"Can you not go so fast?" Desmond whined, four trees behind Connor and arms aching.

Connor threw a cold look at him. "Can you not go so slow?" he demanded almost sarcastically. He stopped a moment, though, and sighed through his nose.

Desmond took a deep breath then jumped across the four trees and settled on the branch near Connor.

"From what you tell me, you have training. What kind of Assassin can not keep up with another?" Connor snapped.

"Look, I know you're mad Achilles told me to come with you but-"

"Mad? I'm not mad. I'm furious! You're slow, you complain, and you don't think about your actions." He threw a hand out, gesturing widely. "You started climbing the building in the middle of the street without thinking about how it would look for you. And now we go through the trees to find my target and you speak instead of do."

"I'm not exactly ecstatic about it either, buddy! I saved the freaking _world_ , I thought I was dying, not...coming here. I was ready, man, I was so ready to just die. But I guess the space wizards had to have one last laugh."

Connor frowned with his entire body. "Where exactly did you come from?" he asked tightly.

"I told you before, a place way out west." Desmond waved a hand around. "Relatively close enough to travel to if you don't mind traveling for a long time."

"You trained there?"

"Not really. I trained in Italy and Constantinople. And some in New York but that was kind of more of a personal thing than training." Desmond picked at the bark of his tree.

"You apparently did not train enough." Connor's words were sharp and he spun and leapt to the next tree and the next without waiting for a reply.

**-{*}-  
Two**

"So spoiler alert, your dad's kind of an ass."

Connor flicked an irritated glare over his shoulder. "Quiet."

Desmond shrugged and looked up at the leaves above him, lounging high in the trees while Connor waited for some convoy or another. Desmond knew from personal experience it wouldn't be there for another ten or so minutes. "Just saying. Seriously, he tries to have you killed so many times, it's ridiculous."

Connor whirled and glowered spectacularly. "I said _quiet_. If you cause me to lose this convoy I will take the money out of you."

Desmond snorted and rolled his eyes, waving a hand vaguely around in the air. "Whatever. They won't be here for like another seven or eight minutes."

"Enough." Connor's hand sliced through the air fast enough to whistle.

Desmond sighed and kicked a branch, making the whole tree shiver. His eyes trailed over the leaves then landed on Connor, perched and waiting.

Rugged living had left him looking weathered, wrinkles in the corner of his eyes and his forehead. His body filled his robes almost perfectly, the cloth almost pulled tight over his bulk. Desmond knew from personal experience the controlled strength Connor had, the potential in him, and it made his mouth water just thinking about it.

He jumped when Connor whistled and leapt down with him to slide his hidden blade deep into the throat of the caravan guard directly under him. He glanced up to check Connor and found him almost dancing around the guards, a feral snarl pulling his upper lip back as he roped a guard, hauled him closer, and slammed his tomahawk into his face. Desmond's mouth dried out. He quickly turned and parried a blade coming toward his side, laughing and sliding closer, driving his hidden blade so far into the guard's stomach his hand was flat on the guy's abdomen. He wiggled his eyebrows then ripped his blade free and spun, slicing another's throat.

There was a pause where Desmond realized Connor was leaning on the cart, watching him. Desmond knocked a fist away that was heading for his head and stabbed the guard in the back of his neck before tossing him away. He took a deep breath and smiled slightly as he hopped up into the cart. "Coming?"

**-{*}-  
Three**

Something was different. Desmond paused as he stood in the doorway of the Homestead house, frowning. The air felt charged. Something was wrong. He shut the door behind him quietly and walked in slowly. He wanted to call out but knew that was stupid. Instead he just crept slowly through from room to room until he found Achilles in the basement, standing by the Templar paintings, leaning heavily on his cane, obviously worn.

"Achilles?" Desmond said quietly.

The old man drew in a shaky breath then turned. "Connor has been arrested. He's to be hanged tomorrow."

Desmond stopped in his tracks. "We're stopping it. Aren't we?"

Achilles stared for a long moment. Then he smiled. It wasn't a nice smile. "We are."

**\---**

The crowd was like a pack of piranhas. They were calling for blood, for death, for justice. Desmond thought that was hilarious. If they only knew the reason Connor was being hanged was because of his own sense of justice. Desmond shook his head as he took out another rooftop guard. Whatever. It's just another faceless mass. He paused when he saw them leading Connor to the gallows and almost snarled when he saw the blood coating his face and the uncomfortable way his arms were held.

He restrained the impulse to say screw it and just jump down and ruin all their faces beyond recognition as he took out his next target, and his next, until he was poised, throwing knife in hand, waiting. He almost jumped clean into the air when Connor fell to the ground but held back as Achilles told Connor to give the signal.

Desmond tensed when the noose went around Connor's neck. He crouched and strained, listening as hard as he could. When Connor whistled, Desmond's knife was already flying through the air. It sliced clean through the rope and Connor fell to the ground, Achilles giving him his tomahawk then getting out of the way.

Desmond watched as Connor sprinted toward Washington just as fast as Hickey and leapt down at the last moment to stop a blade from sinking into Connor's back, growling and sneering. The guard backed up quickly and stared with wide eyes at Desmond, his mouth falling open slightly. Desmond didn't hesitate, snapping his blade out and slicing an artery in the guard's neck. He fended off four more before Connor grabbed his arm and yanked him away, dragging him down a side alley and shoving him into a haystack before following him in.

Desmond took a deep breath, his blood still hot and his heart in his ears. He closed his eyes when he smelled Connor, the deep musky scent heady in the confined space, even when layered with the stench of old sweat.

Fuck he was so screwed.

**-{*}-  
Four**

"So Aveline sent another letter." Desmond threw it onto the table in front of Connor who was slathering jam on bread. "Are you two serious or...?"

Connor glanced up at him with a raised eyebrow. "Her father is concerned that she does not accept any offers from suitors. I am just a distraction."

Desmond hummed and grabbed an apple. Connor was his ancestor somehow. Children were involved somewhere. He just wished it didn't hurt so much to think about it. And fuck. Totally screwed.

"Does it bother you?" Connor called after him, making him stop in his tracks. He couldn't know, no way-! "I know Aveline is considered attractive. You were very close to her when we were there."

Desmond opened his mouth, ready to correct him, then he stopped. "I...yes. She's...she's unique." He licked his lips and glanced at Connor. He looked unreasonably blank. Great.

Connor clenched his jaw and crossed his arms. "Then perhaps _you_ should write her back."

"That's stupid, Connor, and you know it. For you to just suddenly stop and me pick it up? Obvious as fuck." Fish out of water. Fish out of fucking water. Abort, abort.

"Suitors come and go on a daily basis. It would not seem that strange." Connor was practically iceberg status frigid.

Desmond rolled his head around and stared at the ceiling. "Look. You're this far. Just keep writing her. I don't care. Really, I don't."

Connor made a low sound in the back of his throat. "I do." Connor snatched the letter and stormed out.

Desmond spent the rest of the day pondering over that last bit.

**-{*}-  
Five**

"Hypothetically, what would you do if a person expressed interest in you? Hypothetically." Desmond deflected a musket and yanked it away, using it to impale the guard trying to use it on him.

Connor flicked him a look that meant he was wondering about Desmond's sanity. "I don't respond well to advances."

"No shit." Desmond's seen him almost come out of his skin when a woman had showed him romantic intentions. "What if...what if, hypothetically, the one showing interest was a man?"

"It depends on the man." Connor sliced a guard across the stomach, his tomahawk ripping into him. "Washington, perhaps."

Desmond almost choked on his spit, jumping back to avoid a sword to the chest. "Are you serious?"

"Hmm... you're right, not him." Connor flashed a smile at Desmond as he spun behind a man, roping him in to stab him in the back. "Someone...younger."

Hidden blade to side, blade to neck. Desmond's mouth was dry, and not because of the fight. "Someone in mind?"

Connor slammed a guard into the wall with his shoulder, snapping his back on a window sill. "He doesn't seem interested."

"Who wouldn't be interested in you?" Desmond asked breathlessly. He rolled away from a swinging axe. "You're fuckin' gorgeous. Plus you're kind, nice, resourceful, expressive...." He trailed off as the last guard fell. "We should probably move. Why were we fighting them again?"

Connor eyed him. "You bumped into them."

Desmond flushed. "Yeah, okay." He grabbed the closest wall and started climbing. He reached the roof, waited till Connor got there, and said, "really, who's stupid enough to ignore you?"

Connor looked at him silently a moment, absolutely still with his arms crossed over his chest. "I'm not sure he knows I would accept him."

Desmond shrugged, a nervous twitch of his shoulders. "I get being cautious. I hear it's not entirely legal here."

"It's punishable by death, Desmond." Connor smiled a bit. "So is killing people. I don't fear man made laws."

"What about this guy? What's he like?" Desmond was moving, jumping onto another roof, calling it over his shoulder.

"He makes trouble wherever he goes. He complains a lot, but I've learned to ignore it. He likes the sound of his own voice. He thinks he's humorous and I laugh sometimes just to make him stop." Connor laughed to himself as they skidded to a halt on the ground yards away. "He is beautiful when the sun lights his face and his eyes glow with happiness. He is rough when he wakes up in the morning and quiet when he thinks about his past. He moves in a way that surprises me and he can keep up when I move."

Desmond tripped on a rock in his haste to turn around. Connor's hands were around his arms before Desmond realized it happened. They were in an alley the next moment, one of his big hands over Desmond's mouth, the other wrapped around him, pulling him farther away. "Guards," Connor mouthed. He let him go and quietly picked through the alley.

"Okay," Desmond murmured as they blended into a large mass of people. "So why aren't you two together?"

"He may think I'm not interested. I don't know if he is." Connor tugged him out of the flow of traffic and down another side alley. "I would ask, but, as I said before...."

"Yeah, yeah, death, whatever. Do I know this guy?" _I'll kill him, I'll rip his throat out with my teeth, I swear to-_

"I would hope so."

 _Fucking fuck so it's someone we're both close to, I'm going to kick this guy's ass so hard he'll wish he's dead./_ "Please tell me it's not your father."

Connor leveled a dull look over his shoulder, literally stopping in the center of the street to do it. "Not my father."

"Oh, good. Not Lee either, right?" Desmond didn't know if he could take that.

Connor snorted as he hauled himself onto a horse. "I have hardly had the chance to know what Charles Lee is like when he wakes up."

Desmond shrugged, rolling easily with the horse as it trotted along beside Connor's. "Just making sure." Desmond chewed the inside of his lip as he thought. "Whoever this guy is, he's an idiot for not seeing how you feel."

Connor laughed, a sound dragged from deep inside to echo in the street. "Yes, he is."

Desmond huffed and wondered why he felt insulted.

He wasn't really paying any attention which was why he didn't realize they were at the tunnels until Connor slid off his horse and held the door open. Desmond scrambled down and into the tunnels, saying as he walked, "we're not already notorious, are we? I thought we just-"

He words were cut off as Desmond was slammed into a wall. Connor was in his face, staring down. "You." Connor shook his head slowly, breath huffing out of him like he'd just run a marathon. "You are the one who drives me crazy when I try to sleep, the one who's voice I listen for, who's scent I seek." He was close, leaning in and staring into Desmond's eyes from inches away. "You, Desmond. You."

Desmond opened his mouth to reply and almost screamed when something ran over his toes. "Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god, no! No! New York rats are _disgusting_! I'm going to _die_! Oh god, Connor, I'm going to die!" Desmond clutched desperately onto Connor and scrambled around him to the other side of the tight tunnel.

Connor closed his eyes, counted to ten, and opened them. "Hush."

Desmond stilled almost instantly at his tone and looked up at him before he said, very slowly and hesitantly, "let's finish this at home, yeah?"

Connor smiled briefly as he led the way through the tunnels to the exit that would let them out at the docks. A ship was probably leaving for the Homestead to take supplies they couldn't make (which were few and far between but still). They didn't speak the rest of the walk but every now and then, their hands would brush and tangle before releasing again.

**-{*}-  
+1 **

"So." Desmond was scrubbing blood out of his clothes, perched on a stool on the upper balcony with a tub of water in front of him. Connor sat opposite of him, threading feathers together on a length of cord.

Connor looked up, fingers still moving in practiced movements, and raised an eyebrow. "So?"

They'd gotten back to the Homestead about an hour ago, having spent a couple hours on a small cargo ship full of too many people. They hadn't talked about the moment in the tunnels, which was what Desmond was trying to hash out.

Desmond licked his lips and tasted sweat. "You wouldn't think New York would be so hot," he complained as a drop of sweat rolled down his bare back. "How can you stand it?"

Connor hummed and eyed Desmond with a slight smile. "It is not so bad. There were huts in the village that were warmer due to fires and people. I have spent years running barefoot through the trees in Summer, swimming with the fish and hunting with the wolves."

Desmond stared, his robes forgotten, as Connor described his childhood. His chest hurt, a twist that felt like his heart squeezing itself, and he realized, very suddenly, he was falling in love. The wet robes slipped out of his hands to splash in the water. _Fuck._

Connor stopped talking abruptly. "Are you alright?"

Desmond opened his mouth to reply but shut it and shook his head. "It's nothing, don't worry." Desmond stood up and stretched, his back popping and legs aching. "Don't we have something to do today? Pigs to catch or otters to slaughter?"

"There is something I'd like to do." Connor twirled his cord around and tied it off, dropping it onto his stool as he got to his feet. "I'd like to know your feelings on what I said earlier."

Desmond flushed and turned away. "You said a lot earlier."

Connor was suddenly right behind him, turning him around to face him. "You know what I'm talking about."

"I...uh?" Desmond said eloquently.

"I believe we are at an impasse. Do you return my attraction, or should I take a step back and allow you your space?" Connor reached up slowly and trailed a finger from Desmond's jaw to his shoulder.

Desmond took a deep breath then reached up and hooked a hand around Connor's neck. He tugged him down the couple inches needed and kissed him.

Yep. Totally falling in love. Great.

Connor made a sound in his throat close to a groan but also a moan, a choked off noise that stopped almost as soon as it started, his hands catching onto Desmond's hips and tugging him closer. Desmond fisted one hand in Connor's hair, the other still on Connor's neck, his eyes falling shut.

They parted a few seconds later only to come back together, Connor almost lifting Desmond off his feet as he walked him back until he hit the railing. Desmond slid up on it without breaking the kiss, his lungs starting to ache.

Connor licked at his lips and he groaned when Desmond sucked on the tip of his tongue. He pulled back gasping and stared at Desmond with too-dark eyes. "I believe that answers my question," he murmured, fingers sliding across skin and gliding to gently touch Desmond's bottom lip. His lips parted when Desmond sucked Connor's finger into his mouth to nibble it.

He released it a second later and gave a breathless laugh. "God, you're beautiful." He shook his head and put his face in Connor's neck, licking a line from as far down as he could go up to his ear. "This needs to go," he said, picking at Connor's robes.

Connor gave him an indulgent smile and picked him up (Desmond had a moment of pure lust at that), carting him inside and into his room, kicking the door shut behind him. He dropped Desmond onto the bed and paused, staring down at him with a blank face Desmond associated with his thinking face. "I do not want to have sex today."

Desmond took a deep breath and nodded, already sorting through his "cold shower" thoughts to make his dick calm down. "Okay. Okay, that's...okay." He really wished, really bad, that he'd remembered Connor wasn't the "fall into bed right away" type.

Connor smiled slightly and started taking his robes off anyway. "That does not mean I don't want to be close to you."

And suddenly nothing was making him calm as Connor dropped the heavy robes onto a chair and made his way over in just boots and pants. Desmond licked his lips, wanting to taste every inch of tan skin. He reached out almost impatiently to tug Connor down on top of him to kiss him again.

They rolled on the large bed, kicking the blankets around and generally making a mess, Connor's hair falling from its tie to brush Desmond's skin when Connor lowered his mouth to Desmond's neck. He sucked a dark bruise onto his throat, teeth edging it just enough to sting a bit, Desmond arching and grinding up, riding the thigh between his with a gasp.

They rolled again, Desmond on top, and Desmond rolled his hips down, eyes half closed and focused on Connor's open intensity. Connor rolled with him, grabbing Desmond's shoulders to drag him in, licking down his neck and sucking tiny marks down his shoulders and chest.

"Please," Connor whispered into Desmond's skin, fingers digging into his hips and tugging him into a faster rhythm.

Desmond groaned, eyes falling completely shut. "Yes," he whispered back, fingers trailing from Connor's hands up to his shoulders, to his neck, to his hair. It was almost frantic by that point, both of them rutting against the other, and Connor gasped quietly into Desmond's neck before stiffening and moaning low in his throat, hands tightening to bruising. Desmond stuttered at the sound, and jerked, coming hard, whimpering at the rush.

They spent a few moments just breathing before Connor rolled Desmond off him and got up, grabbing a cloth from the clean water basin in the corner of the room. He brought it over after he washed himself and passed it to Desmond, who cleaned himself up as best he could with noodle arms. He smiled languidly as Connor fell back into bed with him, curling up and pressing light kisses across sweat-covered skin.

Connor murmured something in his native language in an almost reverent tone, staring at Desmond as he ran his fingers through his hair.

"What does that mean?" Desmond yawned, geared up for a good snuggle and nap.

"I...it means...." Connor shook his head and kissed Desmond's forehead. "It is complicated."

Desmond hummed. "Most things are."

Connor didn't speak for so long that Desmond was almost asleep when he said, "I am falling in love with you, Desmond."

"Mmm...me too." Desmond slid closer, if possible, and smiled. "Isn't that great?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> look at that fluff. look at it.
> 
> also I'm done with this one. might do another 5+1 about something/someone else if anyone wants it. I'll take suggestions, I guess.


End file.
